QUICK NEWS, 8-26: OHIO APPROVES BIG WIND; OPPORTUNITIES IN SUN; RECOVERY ACT EFFICIENCY; OREGON READIES FOR THE EV

OHIO APPROVES BIG WIND
Ohio Power Siting Board approves construction of Blue Creek Wind Farm
August 23, 2010 (Ohio Siting Board)

"The Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB)…approved an agreement authorizing Heartland Wind, LLC to construct the Blue Creek Wind Farm…Heartland is authorized to provide up to 350 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity and the facility, as approved, will consist of 159 wind turbines spread across 1,700 acres…

"On December 21, 2009, Heartland filed an application…[After] an investigation of Heartland’s proposal, OPSB Staff submitted a summary of its findings and recommendation to the Board on June 23, 2010…Supporters [subsequently] emphasized the potential economic benefits…Opponents voiced concerns about potential negative consequences related to noise and aesthetics as well as impacts to the environment, public health and safety and television and cellular reception."

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"On July 14, 2010, Heartland, OPSB Staff and the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation filed an agreement resolving outstanding issues…[and recommending] approval… subject to 61 conditions intended to mitigate the ecological, environmental and social impacts of the project…[Heartland must:]…[1] Relocate or resize eight turbines…[with more] setback distance from roads and structures…[2] Implement measures to reduce shadow flicker [where needed]…[3] Mitigate…[noise where needed]…within one mile of the project area…[3] Mitigate…television reception problems…

"…[4] Install and maintain erosion and sedimentation control measures…[5] Establish a process to receive [complaints]…[6] …[Deal with] ice conditions on wind turbines and install an ice warning system…[7] …[Deal with] airspace, radar or communications [issues]…[8]…[Repair] roads and bridges [agricultural land, including field tile] following construction…[9] Decommission…"

Where Ohio jobs are. (click to enlarge)

"Heartland expects to begin construction of the wind farm in the fall of 2010. The project will also include four new electric substations, underground electric collection lines and miles of access roads, as well as meteorological and wind measurement equipment to support the facility.

"Under Ohio’s alternative energy portfolio standard, by 2025, 25 percent of electricity sold in Ohio must be generated from alternative energy sources. At least half of this energy must come from renewable energy sources, including wind, and one half of the renewable energy facilities must be located in Ohio…OPSB has [now] certificated five wind farms across the state totaling 472 turbines and up to 882.2 MW…"


OPPORTUNITIES IN SUN
Study Finds Ample Opportunities In Solar For New Entrants
23 August 2010 (Solar Industry)

"As the burgeoning solar and wind power markets continue to expand, industry value chains are looking to…sustain anticipated growth. For many component producers, the market growth rate will translate into a need to increase existing capacities, build new plants and spread out to new geographies.

"…[M]arkets for certain components of the solar and wind markets will present budding opportunities for new entrants, [according to a new report from Frost & Sullivan,] as growth rates are expected to exceed present manufacturing capacity…"

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"Many European and U.S.-based manufacturers are setting up shop in Asia in order to take advantage of cheaper labor and component prices. In addition, with the number of [Asian] consumers increasing…manufacturers recognize the advantages of placing production locations closer…Both wind turbine and solar module manufacturing facilities have started appearing in low-cost countries such as China, Malaysia, Taiwan and the Philippines."

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"Some components and raw materials require deep technological expertise and extensive production experience in order to produce a competitive product, creating high barriers for new entrants. At the same time, there are other markets in which both experience and expertise can be rapidly gained. Thus, it is potentially easier for new manufacturers to enter or expand into these parts of value chain…

"…[A] key restraint…[may be] the lack of assurance of government financial support. With national budgets overstretched and an increasingly high level of budget deficit in some countries, funding expended to renewable energy markets in Europe and across the globe may not be reliable. Component manufacturers must consider expansions carefully if the government support is reduced dramatically to avoid being faced with overcapacities..."


RECOVERY ACT EFFICIENCY
Report: Nevada has weatherized nearly 4,000 homes under the Recovery Act
August 24, 2010 (Reno Gazette Journal)

"…Nevada has been selected to received nearly $7 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to continue the state's Weatherization Assistance Program.

"…[Secretary of Energy Steven Chu] said Nevada has been one of the country’s weatherization leaders under the Recovery Act and is continuing to weatherize thousands of homes for Nevada’s low-income families. Through July, Nevada has weatherized a total of nearly 4,000 homes under the Recovery Act."

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"…[F]our high-performing local weatherization agencies in Las Vegas, Reno, Ely, and Carson City have been selected to receive nearly $7 million to install in-home energy monitors, photovoltaic systems, solar water heaters, heat pumps, residential wind turbines, and perform deep efficiency retrofits. The award selections were part of nearly $120 million in awards announced nationally to complement and expand existing weatherization programs, drive innovation in the program, and deliver even greater energy bill savings for local families…

"Nevada’s efforts are contributing to the success of the program nationwide. After ramping up last year, the Weatherization Assistance Program is now weatherizing homes at its optimal rate – approximately 25,000 homes per month. In June, states reported that nearly 31,800 homes were weatherized with Recovery Act funding – the most ever in a month. This summer alone, more than 80,000 homes will be weatherized across the country…"

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"The weatherization program is…putting carpenters, electricians, and factory workers back to work installing insulation, upgrading appliances, and improving heating and cooling systems. According to state reports, the Recovery Act Weatherization Assistance Program supported more than 13,000 jobs in the second quarter of 2010, including more than 80 jobs in Nevada.

"The U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program helps low-income families save energy and money by improving the energy efficiency of their homes. According to a recent study by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, weatherization services save families an average of more than $400 in energy costs during the first year after home retrofits are installed."


OREGON READIES FOR THE EV
PGE, Ford hope to drive past electric car challenges; New state charging station plan in the works with PSU and Microsoft
Jim Redden, August 24, 2010 (Portland Tribune)

"Electric cars are a hot topic these days, but many challenges must be overcome before large numbers of people will buy them, according to a panel of experts working on the issue…

"…[L]ocations must be found for home charging stations for potential buyers who do not have garages or live in older home with outdated wiring, said…representatives of Ford Motor Co., Microsoft, [utility Portland General Electric (PGE)] and [host Portland State University (PSU]…"

A fast-charging station for the all-electric Nissan Leaf, due in showrooms in November (click to enlarge)

"Charlie Allcock, PGE’s director of economic development, noted that his company is working with the federal and state governments to install 1,000 charging stations between Portland and Eugene by July 2011...[The] stations [should] ease the anxieties of drivers whose can only go between 40 and 100 miles on a battery charge…"

The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) resolves anxiety about battery power by switching to a gas engine after 40 miles. (click to enlarge)

"The stations are being installed as part of seven-state test program funded in part with federal stimulus dollars. In Oregon, other funds are coming from state government and a number of private partners. It is intended in part to support the sales of Nissan Leaf electric cars later this year.

"Ford brought along an electric version of its Focus compact car that goes on sale next year…PSU President Wim Wiewel said the university would work with Ford and PGE in the future to better understand how people use electric cars, including when and how they are charged."